Bermuda National Gallery.

Capturing the light and the multitude of ways that it affects the colours in our universe is a gift that John Kaufmann shares in his work. The pleasurable way in which he interprets the world is shared in a small collection of oil paintingds on display at the Bermuda National Gallery.

Bold Impressionist strokes create images that take viewers on a magical tour.

Seascapes and vignettes of Bermuda together with several scenes from his home away from home -- in northern New Hampshire -- create a proverbial feast for the eyes.

Curated by his stepson, Graeme Outerbridge, the work represents the Canadian-born and long-time Bermudian resident's strong perspective and style over more than two decades. Assembled from private collections in Bermuda, the show is a tribute to excellence.

Mr. Kaufmann, who has exhibited in one-man shows in New York, Montreal and St.

Paul, Minnesota, and with other artists in England the United States, is appreciated by an international audience, for his works hang in corporate and private collections overseas. Bermuda is fortunate to have such a gifted painter to capture its compelling beauty.

Evident are influences from time spent studying under the direction of Arthur Lisman, of the Canadian Group of Seven fame. The discipline derived from this school is particularly noticeable in the composition of the beautifully executed `Cedar', with vegetation (namely Bermuda's beloved Juniperus bermudiana) dominating a large body of water.

More than half of the paintings in this retrospective are of Mr. Kaufmann's seemingly signature subject -- Bermudian seascapes. Each is magnificent, no matter their size. In the collection represented, he has captured the many moods of the sea around us, which come as a result of the dramatic weather patterns.

`To Infinity' focuses on the softness of the sea-soaked sand, the surge of the surf and the powerful motion of a building wave that is about to break with terrific force. The vertical format of this painting devotes only a small part to the source of the action -- the ocean. Its effect is mesmerising.

The much larger `Sea Change' is the essence of all that a Bermuda beach is: Wave movement, pink sand, the multiple blues and purples of the ocean beyond, topped off with the puffy cumulus clouds of summer. This and the other seascapes are a focal point that one can linger over and stimulate the imagination.

A different oceanic perspective, capturing life on the water in Bermuda is `Mid-May'. The gentle movement of two punts slowly cruising together on a calm sea of soft blue and purple hues, with dramatic clouds overhead, is a canvas that deserves to be savoured. It is a scene where serentiy dominates.

On entering the gallery, the boldness of `Mangrove Bay Dock', entices viewers to take a closer look. But the size of the canvas is large enough so that this compelling scene can envelop them from afar, and it is best viewed at a distance. Stark columns and shadows frame and dominate outlying islands and the peaceful water that stretches to eternity.

Mr. Kaufmann's four New Hampshire works represent vistas of mountains, forest and rustic country barns. The earthy portrayal of this unspoiled New England north country, is a world away from the rest of the collection. Each captures the magnificence of the region. But it is the harmony and the combination of the varying sizes of brush strokes in `Spring Green' that creates the near-mystical ambience. The evergreens, birch trees and other members of this forest have the feel of being wet, either from rain or dew.

The show is rich in visual rewards. It is an exciting visual journey, the memories of which will undoubtedly linger for a long time to come.

JUDITH WADSON Mr. John Kaufmann.